Thanksgiving for life of prominent accountant and church layreader

Richard Ruddell

Drumcree Parish Church was filled to capacity on Saturday 26th July for the Service of Thanksgiving for the life of prominent local accountant and diocesan layreader, Mr Richard Ruddell.

Richard (72) was well-known within the business community as founder of Ruddell & Company, Chartered Accountants; and he took great pride in growing the business over the past thirty years to the point where it now operates from offices in both Portmore Street, Portadown and in Church Street, Dungannon (formerly RJ Burton & Company).

Richard was delighted when both of his sons, Brian and Jonathan, followed him into the business with Brian now running the Portadown office and Jonathan the Dungannon operation.

Richard, as a diocesan layreader attached to the parish of Drumcree, was also heavily involved in the life of the Church of Ireland.

As layreader Richard faithfully preached the gospel throughout the length and breadth of the Armagh diocese.

His passion, to tell others about the word of God, often lead to him preaching at three different services on a Sunday.

It was in Drumcree, however, where Richard’s heart lay and he had been a member of the Select Vestry and church warden on several occasions during his life and in recent years he had enjoyed preaching there on a regular basis.

During his early life Richard had a passion for Christian youth work and he had been a Sunday School teacher at Drumcree and a teacher/superintendant at Derrycorey Sunday School. He had also been involved in missionary work through the Irish Evangelistic Band as their missionary box secretary of Ireland.

Richard was a devoted family man and in recent years he enjoyed nothing more than gardening with his grandson Nathan and going on family holidays.

He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Helen, sons Brian and Jonathan, daughter-in-laws Ruth and Alison and grandsons Nathan and Andrew.